HVAC Repair

Your HVAC system is just like your dog or your newborn baby. You might not speak the same language, but it DOES communicate with you. When your air conditioner, heating system, or ducts need attention, there are signs you can look (or listen to or smell) for. Read on to find out what they are.

How to Tell if Your HVAC System Needs Repair

Look for these four tell-tale red flags to know when it’s time to make a change or make a call to an expert HVAC technician.

  1. Unusual Noises
    Is your HVAC system making noises? You might hear knocking, dripping, creaking, screeching, or constant cycling of your system powering on and off again and again. These sounds are your system talking to you. Here are a few things you can tell about your system by the sound it makes:

    • Rattles, thumps, or knocks:
      Your motor or a system component is loose or malfunctioning. This could be minor and fixable or more serious and it’s important to call an HVAC expert to determine what’s going on.
    • Tapping or clacking:
      You might have a foreign object stuck inside the blades of your blower. This is likely not critical. Observe your outdoor unit or venture into your attic, basement, or other areas of your house to determine where the noise is loudest or clearest. Call us to come to clear the issue.
    • Squeals, screeches, or high-pitched whistles:
      You probably have a deteriorating belt which isn’t usually expensive BUT should be repaired before it snaps. If the belt snaps, your system will stop working. You may also need to have your system motor lubricated which CAN be done DIY with the right materials – household oils and WD40 aren’t the right choices for these components – or you can call us for help.
    • Constant turning on and off:
      If you constantly hear your system powering on and off or the airflow is inconsistent, your system is cycling irregularly which requires diagnosis and repair from an expert.
  2. Unusual Smells
    Just like with your car or your kids, different smells indicate different situations that could need your attention. If you’re experiencing an odor that’s musty, dusty, or “old” smelling, you probably need to replace a filter or have your ducts cleaned. If the smell is burnt, oily, or smoky it could be more serious and probably requires attention.

    More importantly, if your home employs natural gas and you smell a sulfuric or egg-like smell, turn the system off and contact a professional right away – you may have a gas leak. If your filter is fresh and you’re experiencing an odor, you’ll likely need an expert to come out and take care of the issue.

  3. Temperature Ghosts
    Do you ever walk through your home and encounter a hot or cold spot that isn’t conditioned to the same temperature as the rest of the room or house? Sometimes this is explainable – it’s warmer by a sunny window or cooler in a dank basement.

    However, if you feel like the patchy quality of your home comfort is not explainable, it’s not ghosts – it’s inconsistent heating and cooling from an HVAC system that needs your love and care. Your system is trying to tell you that it needs your support – this could require maintenance to the system itself, weatherproofing or insulation for your home, or a change in ventilation.

  4. Rising Bills
    So, you received your electric bill this month and nearly had a heart attack. That could be because of a usual seasonal shift in usage or because your teenager had to charge 8 devices at once in constant rotation. If you’ve cleared the usual suspects, your system may be laboring for some reason.

    You might be putting extra pressure on your unit by leaving windows open, coming in and out too much, or by operating with a heavily soiled filter that needed to be replaced three months ago. You may also have a duct leak that’s sapping all of the conditioned air and causing your system to work twice as hard to keep up. Whatever the issue, routine maintenance can prevent these costly surprises and a quick call to us can get you back in working order before your next billing cycle puts you in debt.

Riverside CA HVAC Repair

Is your HVAC system trying to drop you a hint? If you’re smelling, hearing, feeling, or funding your system, it might be time to book her a day at the spa. Your HVAC system should work in the background of your life – quiet, odorless, efficient, and affordable – and if it doesn’t, let us come in and change that.

Give us a call today: 951-780-9882.

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